Life Beyond the Casinos

As I mentioned before I was born not to far from Palm Springs in Pomona, California. The first time I came to Palm Springs was with a new boyfriend. I was 20 years old. My dad had no use for this town. There is no lake to go boating, no river to go fishing, and he was not a golfer. My mother hated the heat which we had plenty of in Pomona already. Not much has changes in 40 years and yet everything is different.

Let talk about food. It is a passion of mine and there are probably more restaurants here than anywhere else I have ever lived. What’s still here from that first visit? Surprisingly, almost every place we ate that weekend. Las Casuelas Terraza is still downtown. There are several other locations with slightly different name, even one call the original, but this one is the best. It has outdoor dinning and live music with an authentic atmosphere that makes it special. This a place to go if you don’t have a reservation. They save part of the place for walk-in and the wait is usually not very long. If you are in the mood for traditional Mexican food then this is the place.

Another place that is still here is called the Blue Coyote Grill. This one has a Southwestern flare. 40 years ago it was the place for Sunday hangover brunch before heading home. Today it is still nice but I think it has lost some of it’s charm for me. Also still here is Pinocchio in the Desert. This is a popular place for brunch too. I still enjoy eating here but the wait on Sunday can be a bit much. It is a fun place because it is right across the street from Oscar’s and proudly has displayed rainbow flags for as long as I can remember. Mostly outdoor dinning here too. I am a little disappointed that they took down the pink feathered umbrellas and replaced them with permanent awnings. But it is still a great place to eat and people watch. Now, Oscar’s has a brunch too but its focus is on entertainment, I have not tried the food.

The third place from that lost weekend was Wang of the Desert. Sadly, they have closed. Between the pandemic and a change in owners they just couldn’t make. It is a shame because they had a nice bar and it was a relaxing atmosphere without being to Chinesey (is that a word? ) you know what I am talking about. Interestingly enough there still is a Wang’s restaurant in Cathedral City in a strip mall on Date Palm. It’s a small place but the food is excellent, and it’s close to Agua Caliente Casino. I really don’t know if it is the same owners, but they are Chinese. We have tired two other Chinese restaurants, one in La Quinta and one in Bermuda Dunes, one had a Mexican chef and both were a disappointment. Don’t believe what you see on Yelp.

So that was my trip down memory lane. These are not necessary the best places to eat but they have memories for me that make them special. Here is a quick run down of some newer places that are great.

The first one is right down the street form Arena’s District, Lulu’s California Bistro. They have had a problem with service lately, especially during brunch, but I still love the atmosphere here. We have had Christmas dinner here twice. The prefix menu is the way to go and they have one every night of the week. I have eaten outside but it more fun to eat in the balcony that over looks the bar. Get a table near a windowed railing or you’re better off downstairs cause the view will be lost.

It you are looking for “fancy” breakfast, I love the Farm. It is tucked away in La Plaza de California and you feel like you have been transported to the French countryside. Mostly outdoor seating, you have to order the coffee, it comes in a French press and is wonderful in my opinion, even when it’s well over 100 degrees outside. This is a place where you forget about your diet and order something sweet for breakfast. You won’t be disappointed. If you must stick to your diet there are some friendly choices as well.

For Mexican, we discovered fairly new place called Tac/Quila. They call it a “Hip Mexican eatery with eclectic décor”. It is quite expensive unless you stick to small plates and share with drinks. The wait staff is very friendly and the servers is some of the best in town. I had a gift card for 50 dollars and we spend close to 100, so you get the idea. I was also a generous tipper because our waiter was excellent.

One last place that deserves mentioning is Trio. Sitting on a corner of North Palm Canyon you can’t miss the orange awnings. We have had Christmas dinner here too. It is fun to sit outside here at the high tables and watch the people. Of course, for Christmas dinner we were inside because it can be chilly at night. The menu changes constantly so you might not want to take a picky eater here. They call it a “lively modern space”.

So, now I am hungry. Tonight we are going to an old favorite down on the Paseo in Palm Desert, California Pizza Kitchen. I know it’s a chain, and a frozen food product, but this location is special. It is in the heart of our version of Rodeo Drive, The Paseo distict. I will have to do a Palm Desert round-up sometime soon. Cheers and happy eating.